American Hero: Obama Awards Medal of Honor to Retired Marine

Retired Marine Cpl. William 'Kyle' Carpenter receives the Medal of Honor from U.S. President Barack Obama during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House on June 19 in Washington, D.C.Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Retired Marine Cpl. William "Kyle" Carpenter received the Medal of Honor from U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday, during a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Carpenter received the medal for "conspicuous gallantry" performed while serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where he took a blast from a grenade to protect fellow Marines and sustained major wounds.

Carpenter is the eighth living recipient chosen for the high honor.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter stands before receiving the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama.LARRY DOWNING / Reuters